Loris proves too much for Green Sea Floyds

The mismatch between Loris and Green Sea Floyds was obvious even before the opening kickoff.

As the two football teams warmed up for Friday’s game, the Lions had around 45 players in uniform while the Trojans had 21 players dressed, although not all of them were available to play. The differences showed early as Loris scored the first 32 points en route to a 58-6 victory over the Trojans.

“I got about 20 varsity guys. I had six guys out tonight with injuries and sicknesses, so I had about 14 or 15 varsity football players,” second-year Green Sea Floyds coach Tony Sullivan said. “It is just tough when you go against guys with a lot more numbers and bigger guys that are stronger than you are. We are playing with a lot of freshman and sophomores, a lot of inexperience. Even my seniors have not played a lot and are very inexperienced.”

If Sullivan is looking for a proven way to build his program he need not look any further than 13 miles down S.C. 9. The Loris program, which won only 12 games over a five-season span from 2004-08, has been rebuilt with an increase in player participation followed by a dominating defense and toughness. All of that was on display against the Trojans.

Help us deliver journalism that makes a difference in our community.

Our journalism takes a lot of time, effort, and hard work to produce. If you read and enjoy our journalism, please consider subscribing today.

The Lions held Green Sea Floyds to 127 total yards and limited the them to 19 yards rushing on 19 carries. Loris also forced four turnovers and scored three times on defense with two interception returns and a fumble return. Shammond Jackson gave the Lions their first defensive score of the season with a 35-yard fumble return that made it 26-0 midway through the second quarter. Ryan Bellamy had a 62-yard interception return in the third quarter, and Marquell Bellamy had a 45-yard return for a score on the last play of the game.

“We are always going to pride ourselves on being good on defense,” Loris coach Jamie Snider said. “I was a little bit disappointed by giving up a couple of long balls right before the half, but they responded really well and we got some turnovers in the second half. That is what you want to see.”

The long balls Snider is referring to led to the Trojans only score. Green Sea Floyds receiver Shaquille Jordlan scored on a 36-yard pass from Jacquez Geralds in which Jordlan pulled away from a tackler near the 10-yard line to put the Trojans on the board with only nine seconds left before the half.

That was the only time during the game the Trojans threatened to score.

The Lions’ offense did not look too bad, either. Loris put up 335 yards of offense including 224 rushing yards on only 19 carries for an 11.8 yards per carry average. It all started with running back Levi Moody, who did all his damage in the first half when he rushed for 156 yards on nine carries and had touchdown runs of 24 and 15 yards. Moody accounted for all but one yard of the Lions’ first-half rushing total, but completed 4-of-7 passes for 123 yards.

As for Sullivan and his Trojans, there is a commitment to grow the program.

“We have not had a steady coach in several years, everybody has coached two years and left …” Sullivan said. “We just have to get the community involved, kids out, keep the parents behind the kids playing, and support the program. That is what it is about, supporting the program and getting this thing turned around. I plan on being here to see it happen. It is just right now it is frustrating, we are young and it is just an uphill battle. But we are going to be alright, we are going to be fine.”

Just look at the Lions, they are doing pretty well now.

Both Loris and Green Sea Floyds are off next week. On Sept. 27, the Trojans will travel to North Myrtle Beach to take on the Chiefs while Loris will host Georgetown.

Green Sea Floyds has beaten Loris only three times in their 34 meetings.